MOORHEAD — Cuts in state aid have forced many Minnesota cities to cut services — from library hours to street maintenance — and some mayors have said further budget reductions could lead to even fewer programs.

The mayors spoke Thursday at a news conference in Moorhead designed to highlight the effects state cuts have had on local governments.

Moorhead Mayor Mark Voxland said his city has lost about $2 million in state aid, and further cuts could mean layoffs.

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman urged lawmakers to create a long-term plan for stabilizing revenue streams on the state level such as personal and corporate income taxes.

He said his city closed 16 of its 41 recreational centers because of inadequate funding.

“We are here to say loudly: Cities need resources,” Coleman said.

“People at the state level don’t want to make tough decisions,” Coleman said. As a consequence, local property taxes “have continued to go through the roof.”

According to a report Friday in The Forum newspaper of Fargo, N.D., the mayors pointed to a study by the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities showing that of the 58 cities responding, 69 percent had reduced their work forces and 60 percent had increased fees or implemented new ones.

Street maintenance was hit hardest: 65 percent of cities cut back in that area, according to the study. Meanwhile, 48 percent of the cities made cuts in parks and recreation programs.

Albert Lea Mayor Michael Murtaugh said when his city departments were given budget targets, it was expected that the library, which had been operating Mondays through Saturdays, would start closing on Mondays.

Instead, library staff closed on Fridays and Saturdays. Murtaugh said that on Mondays, the library saw the largest number of people using the Internet to search for jobs.